Matt Smith Defends Being A Straight Man Playing A Gay Role In ‘Mapplethorpe’ Biopic

[hewontgo]

#MattSmith defends being a straight actor playing a gay character in upcoming biopic of controversial photographer #RobertMapplethorpe https://t.co/pFAm1qvBdH
- ET Canada (@ETCanada) February 16, 2019
The issue of straight actors portraying gay characters continues to be controversial in Hollywood

Comments

[freeze_i_say]

I have seen three docs on Mapplethorpe, read books about him and his ~art~ and read memoirs of people who knew him and what I got to say is

ENOUGH STOP IT GET SOME HELP

Dude’s work is overrated af and the epitome of white mediocrity standing around getting awards for nothing with the added bonus of him dying young and his influential friends *cough* Patti Smith *cough* making him out to be some kind of genius

[stevie_moore]

Did he just compare being queer to having a drug addiction?! Way to avoid accountability. And if he was severely limited in the roles he could play due to his sexuality, he’d be singing a different tune. Straight people are so obtuse.

[backrolls]

Yup.

[backrolls]

I wonder how the film deals with Mapplethorpe's representation of Blackness.

[masterofmystery]

it's hella exploitative, i can tell you that

[adrock]

👀 right?

[genbu_no_miko24]

I’m surprised people are agreeing with him. If we lived in a fair society he’d be right. But gay actors do not exactly get the same levels of roles as straight actors do. And granted I think more gay men get more roles than gay women. And you can also factor in the racial aspect: white gays vs poc gays.

Actors are actors, the overwhelming majority are self-interested and few are willing to step down from a lucrative role that has awards/acclaim potential behind it. Cate Blanchett has said similar things.

[palosantos]

Yep. He’s using the “i don’t see race” (well, in this case, sexuality) and that is so damn neglectful because we live in a world where unfortunately, these things matter and we should be standing up for those who are marginalized and aren’t offered the same benefit of the doubt as the norm.

[genbu_no_miko24]

Funny enough they’ll be at the front of gay rights when it’s things like gay marriage/civil rights but completely dissociate when it comes film/tv roles.

[palosantos]

They probably think we are asking too much since that’s when it could start affecting their bottom dollar.

[palosantos]

...said a heterosexual male.

[willardwright]

who's Ben?